s than one."

Mr. Turner smiled in friendly fashion into his son's eyes. The two were
great pals and it pleased him that the lad should have included him in
his plans.

"Beds like that will do all very well for a night or two; but for a
steady thing they will be darned uncomfortable. Cover 'em with pine
boughs after a long tramp through the woods and they seem like heaven;
but try 'em day after day and they cease to be a joke. Wasn't there a
wire spring round here somewhere, Ruth? Seems to me I remember it
standing up against something. Why wouldn't that be the very thing? You
could fasten it in place and have a bed good as you have at home."

"That's a corking idea, Dad!"

"I wish we could go up and see the place," Ruth suggested. "I am crazy
to know what it looks like. Besides, I want to measure the windows."

"Maybe we could run up there to-night," her father replied rising. "It
is not late and the Maguires said they would take us out for a little
spin in their Ford before dark. They might enjoy riding up to
Aldercliffe and be quite willing we should take along the spring bed.
Mat is a kind soul and I haven't a doubt he'd be glad to do us a favor.
Run down and ask him, Ted; or wait--I'll go myself."

The Maguires had the apartment just below the Turner's and Mat, a
thrifty and good-humored Irishman, was one of the night watchmen at the
Fernald mills. He had a plump little wife, but as there were no
children he had been able to save more money than had some of his
neighbors, and in consequence had purchased a small car which it was
his delight to use for the benefit of his friends. In fact, he often
called it the Maguire jitney, and the joke never became threadbare to
his simple mind, for every time he made it he laughed as heartily as if
he had never heard it before, and so did everybody else. Therefore no
sooner had Mr. Turner proposed his plan than Mat was all eagerness to
further the project.

"Sure I'll take you--as many of you as can pile in, and the spring bed,
too! If you don't mind the inconvenience of the luggage, I don't. And
tell Ted to bring along anything else he'd like to carry. We can pack
you all in and the stuff on top of you. 'Twill be easy enough. Just
make ready as soon as you can, so the dark won't catch us."

You may be sure the Turners needed no second bidding. Ruth and Nancy
scrambled the supper dishes out of the way while Ted and his father
hauled the wire spring out, brushed it, and